


want you like this (in my arms)

by jongdaesang (d10smessi)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Not Really Little Mermaid AU, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 12:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12771528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d10smessi/pseuds/jongdaesang
Summary: jongin teaches kyungsoo how to be human as kyungsoo teaches jongin what it means to be one.or: fairy kyungsoo turns into a human and then turns jongin’s life upside down. jongin’s sure there’s a disney movie about this somewhere.





	want you like this (in my arms)

**Author's Note:**

> jesus h. christ
> 
>  
> 
> (also lowkey little mermaid au i cant even pretend otherwise ugh)

jongin stalks deeper into the forest with a scowl. the shoot is running late and he’s one step short of punching the middle aged creative director in her lecherous face. she’s been very hands-on—too much, in fact—that jongin feels his skin crawl at the elder woman’s face. the snaps of the camera punctuate the throbbing vein in his forehead and annoyance bubbles up, showing on his face.

 

jongin is just glad that cold and bitchy translate well on magazine pages and billboards. kim kai’s furrowed eyebrows and halfway snarl sell everything from designer clothes to flashy cars.

 

he unbuttons the white jacket that he’s wearing for the campaign, ignoring the slight chill of the forest even if it’s mid-afternoon. jongin’s not wearing anything underneath and he's thankful that the weather is warm at the very least.

 

small mercies, he thinks.

 

jongin navigates the small trail and he feels a small amount of satisfaction well up in him when the shoes he’s wearing catch on a thick fallen branch. the toe cap gets slightly scuffed but he shrugs it off with a lot of mutiny. he reaches a tiny clearing surrounded by tall trees and jongin finds a spot under a thick shade. 

 

“here’s good,” he whispers to himself. jongin pulls the pack of cigarettes from his pocket and his trusty zippo. he taps the butt of the pack against his palm, snatching one stick and placing it between his lips. he flips the zippo and rolls the tiny wheel, bringing the flame to his cig. he cups his hand in habit and waits for the cigarette to catch fire.

 

jongin takes a deep drag and he lets the warmth flood his lungs before he blows the smoke out. it billows out in the still air and the only sound amidst the quiet forest is his breathing. the cigarette is a familiar presence between his index and middle finger. sunlight filters through the thicket of leaves and jongin leans against the tree bark, sighing with the exhale of the smoke. he’s unmindful of the white clothes he's been fitted and practically sewn into. jongin’s due for a change after this break anyway.

 

“that’s dangerous!” 

 

jongin snaps his head at the small voice. he turns around wildly, trying to find the source of the reprimand. he hears it one more time and he feels stupid as he looks behind the tree he's leaning on. jongin finds no one there and he cringes at his imagination.

 

“must be hunger,” he mumbles. he shakes his head as he takes another inhale of his cigarette.

 

jongin turns around and—

 

“what the fuck.”

 

jongin blinks once, twice, thrice.

 

“what the fuck.”

 

the cigarette falls from in between his fingers and the—something—someone—what the fuck—flaps their wings and flies down. jongin watches as they blow air, puffing their cheeks, before blowing the embers of the cigarette. they hold tiny fingers to pinch his nose as they fly upwards to face jongin.

 

what the fuck.

 

“what the fuck.”

 

“that’s a bad word.”

 

the… whatever it is… scolds him, complete with a slight pout and an accusing finger. 

 

“am i hallucinating?” jongin wonders out loud. he’s pretty sure he has smoked a standard marlboro and no one he knows would waste a good joint for a measly prank.

 

“no!” the thing whines. they’re tiny—like the size of jongin’s phone. their wings shimmer a pastel pink and there seems to be rainbows and glitters surrounding them wherever they go.

 

“are you—” jongin trails off, frowning. he’s trying to find the word but the truth is, he feels blindsided. maybe someone has swapped his cigarettes for pot or whatever. maybe someone mixed drugs into his drink.

 

“i’m a fairy!” the… thing… enthuses. “i’m kyungsoo! i’m one of the few boy fairies left here!”

 

kyungsoo seems so happy and jongin blinks again, thrice, as he takes in the fairy flying around him. he’s dressed sparsely and his thin torso is left bare. he’s wearing something that looks vaguely like a short skirt made out of fluttering leaves and there’s a crown of colorful flowers on top of his brown hair.

 

the fairy flies too close to his face and jongin sees light freckles dotting the cute face.

 

“i’m—” jongin pauses, hesitates. he’s so out of his element here that he might as well be on a different periodic table. “i’m jongin.”

 

kyungsoo waves both hands at him, wiggling his fingers. “nice to meet you, jongin. what are you doing here?”

 

jongin’s eyebrows meet and his lips form a thin line. “i have a shoot.”

 

the fairy tilts his head. “what’s a shoot?” kyungsoo has his index finger against his chin in a thinking gesture and he sounds the word _shoot_ like it’s the first time he’s hearing it in this context. jongin knows it could have easily been the case considering that fact that kyungsoo is a fucking mythical creature.

 

that, or the screws in his head have not only gone loose but disappeared completely. 

 

“we’re taking pictures and videos,” jongin answers. he’s surprised he can still maintain a blank face. there is an actual, honest to god fairy flying less than a foot away from his face.

 

“i also don’t know what those are.” kyungsoo blinks two large eyes at him and jongin watches as the fairy’s long lashes spill tiny broken crystals, creating miniature personal rainbows. it’s beautiful.

 

jongin shrugs, “not my business.”

 

kyungsoo scowls at him and he flies even closer to jongin’s face. “you’re so rude, mister.”

 

the model smirks, leaning into the tree trunk. kyungsoo moves closer—too close, in fact, that jongin momentarily feels the flutter of soft wings against the skin of his jawline.

 

“and you’re so nosy,” he retorts. 

 

kyungsoo pouts at him in indignation and his cheeks go even rounder. he shakes his head as if in mutiny and his flower crown tips to the side. 

 

out of instinct, jongin reaches his index finger out and settles the crown on the fairy’s head. kyungsoo’s face flares a bright red and jongin raises his eyebrow as if he’s challenging the boy to say or do something.

 

kyungsoo doesn’t.

 

jongin dusts himself off.

 

“i have to go, little fairy,” he says. he gives into the impulse and pokes the fairy’s stomach. it gives under the slight pressure of his fingertip despite being close to flat. it’s a cute belly.

 

he hears kyungsoo call out a _hey_ followed by a “see you tomorrow, jongin!” when jongin walks away.

 

jongin closes his eyes and he’s relieved that kyungsoo doesn’t follow or do any magic tricks.

 

he tells himself that the coldness in the pit of his stomach is not disappointment, trying hard not to look back.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

when jongin enters his three-bedroom gangnam apartment, it’s cold and quiet. dark. he thinks most of his life can be defined by those words. from childhood to the present, everything is a collection of darkness and silence, a permanent winter dawn with tiny flashlight beams in intervals.

 

jongin toes off his sneakers and drags himself to his room. he doesn’t bother turning on the lightbulbs, muscle memory guiding him in the pitch black space. he twists the door knob of his bedroom and, like magnet, the bed pulls him in an instant.

 

he falls face first into the mattress and jongin reaches his hands to the metal button of his skinny jeans. he takes his phone out of one of the pockets and he tosses it to the bedside table. the motion is practiced and familiar—the phone settles on top of the wood and does not fall down. 

 

jongin pulls the zipper down, easing himself out of the tight fabric. he kicks the pair away and the jeans clack on the the hardwood floor.

 

he rolls over and lies on his back. he pulls his shirt in one swift motion and throws it somewhere as well. it doesn’t make a noise and jongin runs his hand through his face. he rolls over again, wiggling up to bury his face into the pillow. he maneuvers his body and slips under his summertime comforter. he sighs into the pillow and breathes in the smell of freshly washed covers.

 

it’s lavender with the telltale clinical scent of detergent and fabric softener. the fatigue of the day dawns on him fast and it doesn’t take him more than five minutes before his eyelids start growing heavier. his breathing evens out as he pulls one of his pillows closer to himself. it’s a poor imitation of a person but his body and his mind are both used to fooling themselves.

 

jongin falls asleep quick and shallow, feeling everything and nothing at the same time. the silence accompanies him throughout the night and none of the nightlife passes through the floor to ceiling window of his expensive flat.

 

he dreams of green leaves and mottled sunlight painted on the forest ground. there’s a soft voice and rainbow sparkles falling from long eyelashes. jongin feels in his dream the kisses of pastel pink wings and shower of glitter gold.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

jongin wakes up and it’s sunday.

 

there’s nothing on his schedule today and the best thing about shooting a big ad campaign is that it’s meticulous. it takes days and anything that’s longer than a couple of hours shuttling between hotels and sets warrants at least a day off.

 

he checks his phone first, answering a couple of texts but ultimately ignoring most of them, before he decides it’s time to leave the comfort of his bed. jongin heads to the kitchen first and he makes himself a bowl of greek yogurt. he tops it with a bunch of strawberries and two heaping tablespoons of his favorite granola mix. 

 

there’s instant coffee in his pantry and jongin hates instant coffee—any kind of coffee, actually—but when the glitz and glamor of celebrity life falls away, all that is left are caffeine and champagne bottles with the occasional pills and the omnipresent cigarette ashes.

 

he grabs a mug and fills it with hot water, mixing one packet of instant coffee and one packet of splenda. jongin licks the spoon that he’s using to eat his yogurt with and stirs the liquid quickly.

 

jongin blows air to his morning drink and he lets it cool for a bit. it’s warm enough after he’s done with his yogurt bowl and he downs the coffee in one long drink. the bitterness of it is prominent but jongin no longer cringes. the splenda does a wonderful job of adding a sweetness that just sort of tickles—just the way he likes it. if jongin’s going to drink coffee, he might as well taste it in his drink. none of the fake ones in large chains serving ninety percent sugar, five percent caffeine, and five percent bad employee treatment.

 

he leaves the dirty dishes in the sink and he heads to the shower to start his day. he cleans himself thoroughly but rapidly and it’s not even ten in the morning on a weekend but jongin’s already dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, looking around his large apartment and finding nothing to do.

 

it’s as if no one lives in the space, he thinks. jongin eyes the perfect furniture and the spotless everything and he feels like he himself does not belong in here. it’s funny how he feels alienated in his own house, never feeling quite like he’s at home.

 

jongin’s never felt at home anywhere, for years.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

the nagging curiosity slams at him like a train wreck just after lunch.

 

jongin’s walking around the strip of gangnam after a nice meal of greek salad and chicken souvlaki when he spots a small gourmet pastry shop beside a Chanel store. in front of the windows are displays of tiny cakes and most of them are pristine white with decorations. there is a round cake that’s probably smaller than jongin’s palm and it’s pastel pink piped with flowers all over. 

 

when he walks closer to the dessert display, he notices the tiny pearls (fake ones made out of candy, hopefully). the lighting from the shop makes that piece of cake sparkle and jongin is thrown back to his dream from last night.

 

and to the maybe not really dream from yesterday.

 

kyungsoo’s name rings inside his head and the feeling of wings against his skin seems pretty fucking real to him. jongin wonders if he’ll meet the fairy if he goes back to the clearing and that’s really where everything goes to shit.

 

he pulls out his wallet and pushes the door. he barely notices the shop assistant’s greeting as he asks for that small cake with flowers and pearls. the assistant calls it _fairy dust_ and the line of jongin’s jaw tingles in memory.

 

hewalks briskly to his car with the white paper bag clutched in his hand. jongin tucks it securely on the passenger seat and he revs the engine once before he streaks towards the length of the road.

 

jongin doesn’t turn the radio on as he drives to the outskirts of seoul. the skin of his jaw prickles the entire time.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

jongin feels like an idiot waiting for something—someone—that may not exist in the first place.

 

it’s been three hours of waiting and he’s resorted to slumping down in his levi’s on the dirt. the paper bag is beside him and he’s gone through two sticks of cigarette and an aimless game of tetris on his phone. 

 

he has just lit up his third stick when a loud scream pierces the silence of the clearing.

 

“jongin!” there’s something flying from across the stretch of the empty meadow and if jongin doesn’t know any better, he would think that it’s just some large insect native to this forest. yet, he can see the glitter and the tiny rainbows and jongin’s sure that yesterday is more than a dream when he can clearly see kyungsoo from where he is. 

 

he doesn’t stand up as he busts his cig against a nearby stone. he places it with the other two finished sticks as he waits for the fairy to come to him.

 

“hi, jongin!” the fairy repeats, waving at him enthusiastically. kyungsoo acts like jongin’s the best thing he’s ever seen—looking all bright and happy like that. jongin feels warmth settle in his chest and it doesn’t leave.

 

“hi, kyungsoo,” he greets. he schools his face in a calm expression and the fairy flutters down in front of his face with a big grin.

 

his smile is shaped like a heart and jongin leans back, taking the image of tiny kyungsoo. he’s wearing a different crown today and jongin can recognize the flowers this time. they’re baby pink roses, matching the color of kyungsoo’s thin wings.

 

“did you miss me?” kyungsoo’s smile turns playful and he hovers over jongin’s right shoulder. jongin nods at the non-verbal request and kyungsoo makes a happy noise as he sits on top of jongin’s shirt.

 

“i got you something,” he says after a while. he hears kyungsoo hum before the fairy flies away from his perch. 

 

jongin reaches for the paper bag and he lays down the complementary tissue squares on the ground before setting the cake box on top. he opens it and kyungsoo shrieks excitedly.

 

“what’s that?” he flies to the mini cake and his feet doesn’t touch the cardboard but it’s a close thing. jongin wonders if kyungsoo can walk.

 

“it’s a cake.” jongin nudges kyungsoo to the dessert. his fingertip brushes the narrow breadth of kyungsoo’s shoulders and the fairy takes that as his cue.

 

kyungsoo smashes his entire face into the pastry.

 

jongin stares and stares and stares… and then breaks out into loud laughter.

 

kyungsoo raises his small head and jongin snorts as the fairy’s face is covered in fluffy icing. the flower crown is left on the dessert like it’s another piece of decoration. kyungsoo wipes his hands across his face and jongin almost loses it again when kyungsoo brings his entire fingers to his mouth, licking the icing to taste.

 

“good?” he teases.

 

“yes,” kyungsoo mumbles through his index and middle finger fingers. he eats the icing on his face and once he’s (almost) clean, he turns to jongin with a large smile, says, “you laughed!”

 

jongin’s eyes widen at that. he hasn’t even realized.

 

“i guess i did,” he mutters.

 

kyungsoo nods his head like jongin’s happiness is something to be celebrated. “you’ve never even smiled but you laughed! you laughed, jongin!”

 

“well,” he smirks. he tries to stop himself but he can feel his mouth twitching. he feels self conscious, being this open to another person—fairy—whatever. “you look really ridiculous eating the cake like that.”

 

kyungsoo grins at him mischievously, “like this?” he pushes his entire face to the cake again and his skirt moves as he wiggles into the pastry. jongin breaks out into tiny chuckles, quieter this time with a little bit of hesitance but no less genuine.

 

the fairy pulls his face once more and he makes silly expressions at jongin as he starts eating the icing on his skin. he flies in front of the model’s face and before jongin can warn or threaten kyungsoo, the fairy has rubbed the icing on jongin’s left cheek and then the tip of his nose.

 

“kyungsoo!” he growls. kyungsoo just flies away, laughing like he’s having the best time of his life. jongin watches him helplessly with sticky cream dotted on his face.

 

the fairy’s face is so bright and jongin, instantly, knows that it’s not the magic or the rainbows or the glitter around him. 

 

it’s kyungsoo’s smile.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

kyungsoo doesn’t finish the cake and jongin has to gather everything to throw it in the trash outside the forest. the fairy reminds him strictly of that and his eyes glare at the three cigarette sticks that he notices late.

 

“they’re dangerous, jongin,” kyungsoo reprimands. 

 

jongin’s wrapping the trash inside the paper bag from the pastry store and he raises his eyebrow with a “hm?”

 

“your—” kyungsoo gestures to the used up cigarettes. “they hurt the environment.”

 

there’s a frown on kyungsoo’s face and he looks up at jongin with a forlorn expression. “one time, some people left them lit up. it’s summer, too, and the leaves are very dry.” kyungsoo pauses a bit and jongin shoves the sticks inside the bag. the fairy looks genuinely upset. “forest burned down and some of kyungsoo’s friends died.”

 

jongin watches kyungsoo’s lips turn down and something in his chest clenches.

 

“hey,” he says. “i’m sorry. i won’t bring them here again, okay?”

 

kyungsoo nods and he seems to perk up after that. “there’s an again? you’ll visit kyungsoo again, jongin?”

 

jongin doesn’t quite smile but his stomach loosens but also feels like it’s tangled into knots. it’s all very complicated, something jongin has never felt before. 

 

he pokes kyungsoo’s cheek with his pinky finger, gentle and careful, replying, “yeah. i’ll see you again, kyungsoo.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

jongin doesn’t really see kyungsoo until after a week. he has to go to tokyo for another shoot and he has to fly to hong kong for a burberry store opening before, finally, he makes it back to korea.

 

he sleeps the entire day off and when he wakes up in his cold apartment despite it being the middle of summer, he showers and dresses quickly, getting his car out of the garage. there’s a mcdonald’s a few minutes away from the hiking site and he gets fries and a big mac with a large vanilla milk shake to go. 

 

he taps his fingers on the steering wheel and he steals a parking spot near the trail. he almost runs to the clearing, the mcdonald’s paper bag jostling in his grip and the milkshake is making his hand wet with condensation.

 

to his surprise, when he gets to the usual spot, kyungsoo’s already lounging on a fresh piece of leaf. his eyes are closed and he seems to be sunning underneath the stray light filtering through the shade the tree provides.

 

“hey, kyungsoo,” jongin plops down. the fairy opens his eyes and when he sees jongin, he shoots up.

 

“jongin!” his pale wings flutter quickly and before jongin has any idea what’s happening, kyungsoo’s already plastered on his neck, grunting at the effort of trying to hug the entirety of it. 

 

it’s impossible and kyungsoo gives up with a groan of frustration.

 

“i miss you,” the fairy confesses. “where have you been?”

 

jongin doesn’t know how to respond to the first so he says, “japan and hong kong.”

 

kyungsoo looks even more confused and jongin’s not sure how to explain so he settles for, “it’s really far from here.”

 

the fairy, at least, seems satisfied with that answer and his gaze zeroes in on the paper bag that jongin’s holding.

 

“what’s that?” he says, enthusiastic. “gift for kyungsoo?”

 

jongin shakes his head as he takes out the food. there’s already oil soaking through the paper and he cringes just a bit, out of habit, before thinking of his steady boiled everything diet five days before his vogue japan shoot.

 

“food,” jongin answers. “mcdonald’s.”

 

“delicious?” kyungsoo flies to the food and his finger prods a fry. he leans down and inspects the fillings of the big mac.

 

“if you’re into oily and processed food then yeah.” jongin punches the straw into the hole and he offers it to kyungsoo first. the straw is comically big for kyungsoo and the fairy has to open his mouth wide. he has a hard time sipping the milkshake but jongin holds it up dutifully and waits.

 

he knows when the sweet drink bursts inside kyungsoo’s mouth. the fairy’s eyes grow two sizes and his wings flutter excitedly. glittery dust showers his surroundings and jongin lets him have his fill.

 

“this is so good!” kyungsoo says after he pops the straw out of his mouth. “kyungsoo likes this very much, jongin! what do you call it?”

 

“milkshake.” jongin offers. he takes a big bite from his burger and he shoves three fry inside his mouth in one go. kyungsoo watches him eat, taking sips from the milkshake.

 

half-way into his food, jongin asks, “wanna try?”

 

kyungsoo eyes his burger and fries warily but he nods. “just a little bit.”

 

jongin rips a small piece from a french fry and kyungsoo eats it from his finger tip. the fairy chews experimentally before swallowing.

 

“potato?”

 

“yeah,” jongin nods. “fried potatoes. we just get creative on how we cook them.”

 

kyungsoo accepts jongin’s word and he tilts his head to the burger. jongin’s not sure how he’s going to feed kyungsoo this one so he just pushes the half-eaten thing into the fairy’s direction. kyungsoo flies in front of the big mac and he sniffs it first.

 

he doesn’t cringe but he frowns in concentration. jongin snorts when kyungsoo takes a small nibble of each part that he can see and reach.

 

“you like it?” he asks when kyungsoo finally swallows.

 

the fairy hums and his finger is back on his chin. jongin notices how kyungsoo has a gesture for almost anything and it’s cute, he thinks, how expressive the other man is. for someone like him, it’s fascinating.

 

a little off-kilter but nothing he can’t handle. jongin oscillates from bitch to bitchier but his secret forest excursions have him opening up to another not-human being.

 

“kyungsoo doesn’t like it,” the fairy responds after consideration. jongin shrugs and he picks a small fry and feeds kyungsoo a piece again.

 

he lets the day disappear like that—in between bites of horrible mcdonald’s and sips of melted vanilla milkshake, sparkling dust in gold and silver falls all over him like a beautiful rain shower. pale pink wings kiss his skin as the scent of roses lingers in the still summer air.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

jongin spends the next month alternating between working and visiting kyungsoo. the fairy’s always so happy to see him and while jongin cannot smile quite fully, the twitch in the corners of his mouth is becoming more and more familiar. 

 

kyungsoo learns things about jongin—like his work and how to use a phone and photographs and videos. the fairy doesn’t fully appear in digital and jongin has a collection of blurry vaguely human shaped blobs.

 

jongin has also gotten curious about kyungsoo’s kind and the fairy doesn’t shy away from sharing information. there’s not much to share, however, as kyungsoo says. he’s one of the minor fairies and he doesn’t do much except grow flowers and fly around. he doesn’t have enough power to grant wishes or put curses but jongin assures him that kyungsoo is still amazing.

 

the fairy enjoys the praise and he proceeds to grow flowers on the area where they usually meet. jongin doesn’t know the name of three quarters of the flora around him but the colors look nice against kyungsoo’s pale skin and he likes watching the fairy lounge on soft petals.

 

kyungsoo enjoys the music on jongin’s phone and jongin helplessly watches as kyungsoo makes elaborate, albeit a little bit clumsy, dances to the tune of them. the tips of his toes hover in the air and sometimes, he creates a stage out of jongin’s forearm or upper thigh. 

 

he supposes he should have seen this one coming. there are forces of nature that are just unstoppable and jongin figures park chanyeol is one of them.

 

“this is an intervention,” chanyeol barrels into jongin’s apartment. the man has pilfered jongin’s key one time and has made a spare for himself. jongin gives chanyeol a bruise but he doesn’t take the key away. 

 

chanyeol’s his older friend—way back from their fancy middle school days. the older man is the only son of the owners of a top tech company but chanyeol has made a name for himself as the music producer loey.

 

jongin raises an eyebrow and chanyeol pauses in his step. no matter how many years has passed, the taller man has never really gotten over being at least slightly intimidated of jongin. jongin calls it stupidity but chanyeol calls it built in survival instinct.

 

like all good things, it doesn’t last. chanyeol makes his way beside jongin on the couch, sprawling his long legs practically everywhere. jongin sniffs in disdain but is too used to this display.

 

“a what?”

 

“an intervention,” chanyeol stresses. he turns to jongin and tugs the model so they’re facing each other. jongin leans his head to the back of the couch. 

 

the tv is playing a french film from the 60s but jongin doesn’t really need the korean subtitles that go with it. he hears the breathy main lead confess to the protagonist before chanyeol’s deep voice swallows the low sound of the television.

 

“be honest with me, dude,” chanyeol begins. his eyes are all big and earnest. “do you have a boyfriend? girlfriend? whatever-friend?”

 

jongin blinks before he deadpans, “no.”

 

chanyeol seems surprised at that and he double takes, “really?”

 

“yes, really,” jongin replies flatly. “i’d know if i’m seeing someone, chanyeol.”

 

“b-but!” chanyeol sputters—like he hasn’t thought of the possibility of jongin telling him otherwise. the older man is smart, jongin knows that, and a little bit cunning too but chanyeol’s always been impulsive when it comes to his friends. “you’re not hanging out with me anymore!”

 

jongin tries not to cringe at the pout on chanyeol’s face. the man is one year older than him and while he’s not as muscular as jongin, chanyeol’s still more built than the average guy. the puppy dog eyes look _so wrong_ on him.

 

“i have work,” he retorts.

 

“not that often, you don’t,” chanyeol grumbles—as if it’s perfectly normal that he knows jongin’s schedule.

 

jongin narrows his eyes into slits. “how did you know?”

 

chanyeol has the audacity to look guilty. “baekhyun tattled on you.”

 

jongin’s left eye twitches at the mention of his manager. “i’ll fire him.”

 

the music producer scrambles at that. “no! baekhyun was just worried about you, jongin.”

 

jongin sighs. he’s not really going to fire baekhyun but he’s sure as hell that his manager has managed to weasel VIP tickets and backstage passes in exchange for information from the older man. chanyeol’s a music producer but his family has ties to the entertainment industry too.

 

“i don’t have anyone, chanyeol,” jongin emphasizes. his mind flits immediately to the pretty forest fairy but he stomps it down with a mental scolding. “don’t worry about me.”

 

chanyeol doesn’t seem to buy jongin’s words but he does shut up about the topic of jongin’s disappearances. jongin takes it because the alternative of explaining kyungsoo—who kyungsoo is and who he is to jongin—is way worse.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

jongin continues the trips to the forest but he dials it down to almost everyday to twice a week. when kyungsoo asks why, the fairy is close to tears. jongin shushes him and feeds him a candied nut before he resolves to come at least four times a week—on both days of the weekend and twice on the weekday.

 

no one can call jongin out on it and if kyungsoo seems brighter and happier then jongin takes it as his own personal win.

 

 

* * *

 

 

two months into meeting kyungsoo, jongin breaks into the clearing with a large paper bag filled with various drinks and snacks. his iphone is loaded with movies, something the fairy has very obviously taken a liking into. jongin would place his phone into the ground over a bunch of tissues and kyungsoo would tap his palms against the icons and applications.

 

to his surprise and confusion, the flowery patch where they usually meet is devoid of any tiny man sunning on top of petals or smooth rocks. jongin settles himself on his usual perch, leaning against the tree, as he waits for the familiar voice and fairy dust.

 

four hours and a movie and a half later, jongin feels worry grow inside him. kyungsoo always tells him if he can’t make it to their next meeting and it’s not in the fairy’s character to be late. jongin stands up and brushes the from his jeans and palms. he cleans the snacks he has eaten and looks around the clearing.

 

“kyungsoo!” he calls out. he tries to regulate his volume lest he disturbs the animals but he knows the slight tremble in his voice is nothing but deep worry. “kyungsoo, it’s jongin. where are you?”

 

jongin walks some more, peering behind trees and up in to the branches. kyungsoo likes napping on the stable pieces of wood.

 

“kyungsoo,” he repeats. “i’m going to leave if you’re not here.”

 

jongin tries to shake off the worry he’s feeling but it’s almost night time and kyungsoo is magical; he can take care of himself. he does another sweep of the forest clearing, even stepping into an area where a couple of trees has clustered.

 

he’s about to leave when he sees pale feet poking from behind one of the thicker trunks. they’re lying limp on the forest ground and all thoughts of kyungsoo fly out of jongin’s head as he rushes to the prone from.

 

jongin prays to god this doesn’t turn into some murder mystery.

 

“sir,” he says softly. there’s no reply and jongin’s chest tightens with the grip of fear when he sees that the person is lying on his stomach. his right ankle is swollen and there are bruises and tiny cuts littering the expanse of pale skin.

 

the person is not wearing any clothes.

 

jongin approaches them cautiously and he extends his forefinger and middle finger against the person’s neck. he feels around for a pulse and he gives a relieved sigh when he finds it. it’s weak but the person’s alive and jongin wouldn’t have to go to the police and explain why he’s in the forest at almost six in the evening.

 

he flips the body right side up and jongin’s heart stutters before it stops completely. that’s how it feels to him when he sees the familiar face staring at him.

 

“kyungsoo?” he breathes out. that’s kyungsoo’s face staring at him. the man isn’t conscious and the adrenaline finally kicks as jongin hastily pulls off his plaid shirt. he shoves kyungsoo’s arms into the sleeves and he buttons it completely. he tugs it down and the fabric, thankfully, falls on the middle of kyungsoo’s thighs. jongin can see purpling on kyungsoo’s jaw and but his face doesn’t have any cuts. most of his body is littered by fresh bruises and the most worrying injury seems to be the man’s ankle.

 

jongin cleanly lifts kyungsoo from the ground. the hospital’s out of question now. if this is kyungsoo, someone’s going to ask for his identification. if this is not kyungsoo, then jongin will drive the man to the hospital after he has woken up.

 

he hooks the man’s arm around his neck as he brings kyungsoo up in to a bridal carry. he’s careful not to jostle the small male as jongin quickly leaves the clearing.

 

“please be okay,” he whispers. “hang tight, kyungsoo.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

jongin doesn’t have a first aid kit in his car but he has a blanket to wrap kyungsoo into. he fixes kyungsoo into the space beside the driver and reclines him completely. he curses the lack of a spacious backseat but that’s what he gets for buying sports cars rather then the more sensible options.

 

he breaks at least three traffic rules trying to get to his apartment but he doesn’t get pulled over by the police or officers from the high way patrol. he parks his car to its designated area and jongin looks around the basement garage of his building before he lifts kyungsoo into his arms again. 

 

jongin makes sure that the blanket is covering kyungsoo’s modesty and the man is light enough that he doesn’t struggle getting in the elevator and punching the button of his floor. as if by miracle, no one stops and questions why he’s carrying an unconscious man back to his apartment. he lives in a high security residential skyscraper and most of the residents, or their families or partners, have a net worth upwards of several billions of won. he figures the security has seen things weirder than this, especially when everyone is intent on throwing one summer party after the next.

 

they probably look like another drunken couple out there. jongin’s the diligent boyfriend carrying a cold kyungsoo in his drunken stupor.

 

jongin can’t fish out his keys when he reaches his floor so he has to settle kyungsoo beside his door. he blindly inserts the key, never leaving his eyes off of the prone figure. when the door opens, jongin picks the man again.

 

he kicks the door and turns the lights inside his apartment. he squints as brightness floods the large space and jongin makes a beeline to his bedroom. he settles kyungsoo on top of the mattress before he goes to his kitchen.

 

jongin keeps a first aid box inside one of the cabinets and, for the first time, he takes it out. kyungsoo’s knocked out when he returns and jongin unravels the blanket from the other male. he averts his gaze and sets to work, feeling up the ankle. kyungsoo doesn’t make a noise or anything and jongin is instantly flooded with fear and worry. he reaches for the man’s wrist and sighs when, underneath his fingers, pulse thrums lightly like kyungsoo’s wings—missing wings.

 

kyungsoo’s ankle is not broken, just sprained badly, and jongin sprays some reliever on it before wrapping a bandage so it doesn’t move. he pats kyungsoo’s limbs but he doesn’t find a broken bone. he does the same to the man’s face but aside from the bruising, kyungsoo appears to be fine.

 

jongin leaves him in his bedroom with a glass of water on the bedside table. he keeps the door open and drags his feet to the couch. this way, he can see or hear kyungsoo if the fairy wakes up.

 

he falls asleep sitting on the couch and it doesn’t even cross jongin’s mind to take a shower or head to one of the two unused bedrooms in his apartment.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

someone is shrieking.

 

jongin stirs from his sleep and someone is still fucking shrieking.

 

he sits up straight and lets out a long _fuck me_ when the ache of sleeping weirdly settles. someone is still shrieking.

 

“fucking what!” jongin hollers back, annoyed. the loud noise stops before he hears sniffles.

 

jongin bolts out of the couch and breaks into a run when he remembers what has happened yesterday.

 

he skids into a full stop in the doorway of his bedroom and he raises his hand when he sees kyungsoo awake. the man’s eyes are wide with fear and they’re wet with the sheen of kyungsoo’s unshed tears.

 

“jongin,” kyungsoo breathes out in relief. he’s huddled on the headboard, covered tightly with a blanket. he’s still slightly trembling but his breathing seems to be coming more normally.

 

jongin takes a step back. “kyungsoo, you’re safe.” he takes another step, slow and careful. his hands are raised to the air. “you’re okay here. you’re in my house.”

 

kyungsoo whimpers and jongin rushes to the fairy’s side. he plops down beside the other male but keeps his distance.

 

“jongin,” kyungsoo cries and he clambers on top of jongin’s lap. jongin freezes up when thin arms wrap around his neck. kyungsoo’s caught in the mess of covers but jongin’s acutely aware that the small male is naked underneath. something warm settles firmly on the top of jongin’s thighs and kyungsoo buries his face on jongin’s neck.

 

jongin’s fingers twitches and his hands shake when they rest on kyungsoo’s waist. he rubs the man’s back as kyungsoo sobs his heart out. jongin’s other hand doesn’t leave its perch on kyungsoo’s waist, painting comforting circles on the soft flesh.

 

“what happened, kyungsoo?” jongin asks. his voice is soft and he tries to sound as gentle as he can.

 

kyungsoo hiccups, “no wings.” his arms tighten around jongin’s neck. his lips are pressed on the delicate skin slightly below jongin’s ear. when kyungsoo murmurs, it feels like he’s kissing jongin’s skin.

 

“yes. you have no more wings. what happened, kyungsoo? why are you injured?” he keeps his voice level, continuing the motions he’s doing on kyungsoo’s back.

 

kyungsoo whispers. “kyungsoo asks.wants to be human. wants to be like jongin. magic. no wings now and no flowers. kyungsoo falls—kyungsoo’s ankle is red and painful.”

 

jongin tries to parse kyungsoo’s language and the fairy has explained this to him before. his magic helps him speak and understand jongin’s korean and it’s a little bit like a built-in translator. now that kyungsoo is, jongin assumes, human, the built-in translator doesn’t work and the fairy’s language is shot to hell.

 

“you asked for this? being human?” something warm floods jongin’s stomach and his heart does a jump before it starts ramming against his rib cage. his hand crawls up to where he thinks kyungsoo’s wings are attached before. he doesn’t feel any scars and there’s no blood seeping into the plaid he has lent to kyungsoo.

 

kyungsoo nods his head against jongin’s neck. “kyungsoo wants. no waiting for you in the forest. eating large food.”

 

jongin’s not sure if the fairy can feel the wild beating of his heart. kyungsoo’s sobs have stopped and mellowed down into hiccups. the fairy detaches his face from jongin’s warm and wet skin. jongin reaches up and wipes the tears from underneath kyungsoo’s eyes. kyungsoo blinks and there’s no glitter falling out his lids. his eyelashes remain long and thick.

 

“how long will you be human?” jongin swallows the large lump stuck in his throat.

 

kyungsoo smiles at him, wet and a little tired, “as long as you want kyungsoo to be with you.”

 

jongin doesn’t answer but he pulls kyungsoo to his chest again, embracing the small man.

 

“you’ll be okay,” he whispers. jongin’s not sure if he’s telling it to kyungsoo or to himself.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

jongin brings kyungsoo to the shower and the fairy jumps and screams for him the moment he hears the spray of water. the model rushes to the bathroom and he finds kyungsoo underneath the spray, naked and looking like the shower has personally offended him.

 

kyungsoo points an accusing finger to the shower head. “evil!”

 

jongin eyes the way kyungsoo is glaring at the water splashing around. jongin realizes how bad an idea it is to leave kyungsoo alone in his bathroom. he steps into the spray with the fairy, uncaring that he’s also getting wet.

 

“come on,” jongin coaxes him. he grabs his shampoo bottle and squirts a dollop on his palm. “i’ll do this once and you have to watch and listen to what i’m doing, okay?”

 

kyungsoo nods and jongin rubs the shampoo on the fairy’s hair. the short male seems amused by the bubbles and before long, he’s giggling when jongin puts conditioner on his hair. jongin tells him to scrub his body and the scent of his body wash invades his nose as kyungsoo puts too much liquid on to the loofah. 

 

jongin leaves kyungsoo to it when the fairy starts rinsing himself. he heads to his walk in closet and grabs a pair of unused boxer shorts and sweatpants. he takes an old band tee from way back when and heads to the bathroom again.

 

thankfully, kyungsoo’s still alive. jongin tells him to step out of the shower and kyungsoo nods, obeying and wrapping himself with the towel. his ankle looks bad still and jongin helps kyungsoo maneuver around. he slips the underwear and the sweatpants up kyungsoo’s legs and they’re long and loose on the shorter man. the shirt is too big, really too big, and if jongin is asked at gun point, he’ll say it’s adorable.

 

there are no guns pressed on his temple so jongin says, “sit down on the toilet. i’ll wrap your ankle.”

 

kyungsoo does as he says, smiling. “your tiny room—rains.”

 

jongin raises an eyebrow mid wrap. “what?”

 

kyungsoo points to the shower and jongin understands instantly. “it’s called a shower.”

 

the fairy furrows his brows, concentrating. “sha-wer.”

 

jongin shakes his head. “sho-wer. shower.”

 

kyungsoo crinkles his nose and this time, jongin’s sure he doesn’t need a firearm pointed at him. the fairy looks cute like that, in jongin’s clothes and making a funny looking face.

 

“sho-wer.”

 

jongin nods and kyungsoo enthusiastically claps. “sho-wer. sho-wer. shower! shower! showershowershowe—”

 

“yes,” jongin interrupts, finishing the bandage. 

 

kyungsoo doesn’t repeat the word but he pats jongin’s head and says, “thank you, jongin.”

 

jongin hides the blush creeping on his cheeks, helping kyungsoo stand up but making sure his head is turned away.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> how i spend a 10-day ish break lmao honestly i have no idea what i'm doing 
> 
>  
> 
> (cant wait for my sem to be over so i can finally, FINALLY, finish all my fics just two more weeks hold on my filthy kaisooists)


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